Scuttle ladder



March 22, 1927.

1,621,539 M B. HEMINGWAY S-CUTTLE LADDER Filed Nov. 12, 1926 Patented Mar. 22 1 927.

UNITED STATES MARCUS B. HEMINGWAY, or NEW HAVEN,- CONNECTICUT.

SCUTTLE LADDER.

Application filed November 12, 1926.; Serial No.147 ,955

This invention relates to improvement in scuttle ladders, and particularly to that class in which the ladders are adapted to be raised through a trap-doorway into an attic and adapted to be dropped through the trapdoor-way when required. The object of this invention is a Simple arrangement of parts, whereby the ladder will drop of its own weight and be easily retired, and the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings: 7 Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of a scuttle l5 ladder constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. In carrying out my invention, I employ a frame 5 pivotally connected with brackets 6 secured to the attic floor 7 in such a position that the forward ends of the. sides 8 and 9, which are each of one piece, will eX- tend to the edge of the trap-door opening 10. V Pivotally connected with the forward ends of the sides 8 and9 is a ladder 11 of proper length'to reach the floor below, and theweig'ht of the ladder is such that, when released, it will fall by gravity. Connected near the lower end of the ladder is a pulley 12, and connected in a vertical line above it, to a suitable support, is a rope 13 which extends down through the pulley 12, up through idlers 14 and 15, and the end 16 of the rope extends down through the atticfloor to a convenient pointfor operation. Connected with the frame is a rope 17 which extends over a pulley 19, and to the end of the rope is attached a counterbalancing weight 20 which tends to lift the ladder when the end 16 of the rope is released. The trap-doorway 10 may be closed by an upwardly-op-ening trap-door 21 adapted to be closed in any desired manner.

In the retired position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 of the drawinv the ladder is retired to the attic and stands in a substantially horizontal position, the frame 5 being substantially verticaland being arrested by a stop 22. \Vhen it is desired to enter the attic, the trap-door 21 will be opened and the end 16 of the rope released, permitting the ladder to fall by gravity down through the trap-doorway to the floor below. WVhen no longer required, a downward pull upon the end 16 of the rope will lift the ladder, and this lifting movement will be assisted by the counterbalancing weight 20, so that but little power is required to raisethe ladder. After use, the end 16 of the rope will be made fast. The trap-dooi-can then: be closed.

In the more general construction of scuttle ladders, the trap-door must open downward, and in some cases the door is connected with the ladder, so that it cannot be opened without moving the ladder, but with this construction, the ladder in its retired position is so far above the floor that the door may open upward, and not extend down into the roombelow.

I thus provide, in a very simple way. a scuttle ladder which can be conveniently lowered or raised.

I claim:

The combination with aladder, of a frame having one-piece sides pivotallymounted on the floor distant from a trap-opening, to

the edge of which opening the forward end of said frame extends and to which forward end the upper end of the ladder is pivoted, said ladder adapted to move downward by gravity, and means for raising the ladder and holding it in its raised position, whereby,"when in its raised position, it lies horizontally above the floor, permitting the S5 trap-door to be opened upward, independent of the movement of the ladder. V In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

MARCUS B. HEMINGWAY. 

